The airline founded by William Boeing, the famed creator of a leading aerospace manufacturer, began modestly as a postal delivery service. Boeing Airplane Company, previously named Pacific Aero Products, added international airmail to its services after World War I.
It made its first international airmail delivery in 1919 and won an airmail contract for service between San Francisco and Chicago in 1927. This particular contract is relevant to this guide because the Model 40A acquired for this route could carry two passengers in addition to mail. So, Boeing created a new company named Boeing Air Transport for this mail and passenger service. According to the Disciples of Flight, Boeing Air Transport delivered an estimated 1,300 tons of mail and carried 6,000 passengers in the first year of operation.
Over the following years, William Boeing strategically acquired several more companies to create a powerhouse for airline operations, development and manufacturing named United Aircraft…